Automatic gas-regulating valve.



PATENTED JULY 23, 1907.

B. M. LEWIS. AUTOMATIC GAS REGULATING VALVE.

' APPLICATION FILED D110. 3, 1906' Q/Vihwoou BENJAMIN M; LEWIS, OF RENO,NEVADA.

AUTOMATIC GAS-REGULATING VALVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July as, 1907.

Application filed December 3, 1906. Serial No. 346.168-

' To all 'whom it may concern:

the United States, residing at Reno, in the county of Washoe and Stateof Nevada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Gas-Regulating Valves; and I do declare the following to be afull clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it ap pertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic gas regulatingvalves.

The object of the invention is to provide a valve of this characteradapted to be controlled by the pressure of the gas to regulate the flowof the same.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists ofcertain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement ofparts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing is shown a vertical sectional view of avalve and the regulating mechanism connected thereto.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes the valve casing,at one end of which is connected a gas inlet or supply pipe 2. Arrangedin the casing 1 is a valve seat 3, in the upper end of which is arrangeda gas discharge port 4. In the casing 1 is arranged the valve 5, whichis preferably in the form of a circular disk, on the upper side of whichand adapted to be engaged with the seat is a washer or gasket 6 ofcomposition metal. The lower end of the seat 3, which is engaged by thegasket 6, is preferably beveled or inclined to an edge, as shown at 7,thus facilitating the tight engagement of the same by the gasket 6 onthe valve and preventing any collection of sand or foreign matter tointerfere with the closing of the valve.

Connected to the valve 5 is a valve stem 8, which projects upwardlythrough the seat 3 and is pivotally-connected at its upper end to anoperating lever 9 which is pivotally mounted within a diaphragm casing10 secured to the upper end of the valve casing 1, as shown. Thediaphragm casing 10 is preferably of flat cyli ndricalshape and formedof upper and lower sections 12 and 13. The inner edges of the sections12 and 13 are provided with radially-projecting annular flanges 14 thatare bolted together and between which and across the interior of thecasing 10 is secured a diaphragm 13, which is preferably formed ofleather but which may be of any other suitable material.

Secured to the upper and lower sides of the central portion of thediaphragm 13 are circular disks 14 of tin or other sheet metal. The freeend of the lever 9 is connected to the center of the diaphragm 13 anddisk 14 by a downwardly-projecting bolt 15, which is secured to thediaphragm 13 and plates 14 by clamping nuts 16. The lower end of} thebolt 15 which projects below the diaphragm, is preferably bifurcated,and in said bifurcated end is connected the free end of the lever 9.Connected with the lower portion of the casing 10 below the diaphragm 13is a gas outlet pipe 17, while in the upper side of the casing 10 abovethe diaphragm 13 is an air vent 18.

On the upper side of the casing 10 is formed a centrally-disposed boss19; in which is formed a guide passage 20 having interior screw threadsin its upper end to receive a .threaded adjusting bolt 21. The lower endof the bolt 21 is engaged by the upper reduced end of a spiral spring22, the lower end of which projects into the upper portion of the casing10 and is adapted to bear upon the upper side of the diaphragm torestore and to hold the same and the valve 5 in a normal position. Thelower end of the spring 22 within the casing 10 is preferablyconical-shaped with the larger lower end of the same into engagementwith the upper metal plate 14 of the diaphragm. The tension of thespring 22 is adjusted by means of the bolt 21, as will be understood.

In operation, the gas when fiowing at its normal pressure passes throughthe valve casing 1 and seat 3 and through the port 4 therein into thelower portion of the diaphragm casing, and from thence through the gasoutlet pipe 17 connected therewith. Should the pressure of the gas beincreased above its normal condition, said pressure will be directedupon the underside of the diaphragm, and bulging or pressing the sameupwardly against the tension of the spring 22, thus raising the lever 9and causing the same to draw the valve upwardly into engagement with theseat 7 and thereby cutting off the passage of gas through the valveuntil the pressure of the gas has been diminished to a sufficient degreeto permit the spring 22 to force the diaphragm downwardly, therebycausing the lever 9 to again open the valve. It will be observed that byconstructing the valve to operate as herein shown and described, thepressure of the gas in the pipe after the valve has been closed will beupon the valve and not upon the diaphragm, so that the danger ofbreaking the diaphragm by a sudden or increased pressure in the mains isprevented. It will also be observed that should the lever 9 be brokenthat the valve will immediately close by pressure of the gas owing tothe counterbalancing pressure of the spring 22 being removed from thevalve stem, thus providing an automaticallyoperating safety valve aswell as a pressure controlling valve.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the inventionwill be readily understood without requiring a more extendedexplanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention, as defined by theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters-Patent, is:

An automatic gas regulating valve comprising a valve casing arranged inthe gas inlet pipe a valve seat arranged in said valve casing, said seathaving a tapered or conical lower end, a valve adapted to be engagedwith the tapered lower end of the seat, a diaphragm casing connectedwith the valve casing and communicating with said valve seat, a stem onsaid valve adapted to work through said seat and to project into saiddiaphragm casing, an operating lever pivotally-mounted in the diaphragmcasing and connected to the stem of said valve, a flexible diaphragmarranged in said diaphragm casing and dividing the same into upper andlower compartments, sheet metal disks arranged above and below saidcentral portion of said flexible diaphragm, means to connect the outerend of said valve 7 operating lever with the under side of saiddiaphragm, =1

gas discharge pipe connected with the lower side of the diaphragmcasing, and means to permit the escape of air from the upper partthereof, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN M. LEWIS.

Witnesses GEO. S. WALno, C. ST. GEORGE.

